SJU graduate and Somali native Kulane to speak on ‘Being an Outsider’

Kulane will speak on "Being an Outsider." His speech, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the peace studies and sociology departments at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University.

Kulane was born in Somalia and raised in Kenya. He came to Minnesota as a refugee at the age of 20, and received degrees in peace studies and sociology from SJU.

He is the founder and executive director of The Language Bank in St. Cloud, which provides translation, interpretation and cultural orientation training services for business people, health care professionals, educators and others living and working with members of the various immigrant and refugee communities in St. Cloud. His clients include the St. Cloud HRA, St. Cloud School District 742 and Stearns County District Court.

In 2014, Kulane ran for a seat on the St. Cloud City Council representing the First Ward of the city, losing to incumbent Dave Masters. He is also a member of the St. Cloud Times writers group.

Prior to coming to St. Cloud, Abdul worked with the International Rescue Committee and the World Food Program in Kenya. He is a board member of Community Grassroots Solutions, a nonprofit organization which serves the refugee and immigrant communities in central Minnesota.